The Historical

Background of
Hellenism

and why we celebrate

Hannukah for 8 days

Babylonians 605 539 BCE

Persians 539 332 BCE

Hellenistic Rule
Alexander 332 BCE
Ptolemies 301 200 BCE
Seleucids 200 142 BCE
Hasmonean Rule 142 63 BCE

Romans 63 BCE 395 CE

Important Dates
586

BCE Destruction of Bet haMikdash I

539 BCE Cyrus destroys Babylonia, decrees
that Jews can return
520-516 BCE Rebuilding of Bet haMikdash II

,
:
-
-
,


-

.

5th century Ezra and Nehemiah

332 BCE Alexander the Great conquers
Judea and Persian Empire

Alexander the Great

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MQfBinQwPGs&feature=email

Alexander the Macedonian

Josephus, Antiquities, 11.329

And when he understood that he was not far from the city, he went out in
procession, with the priests and the multitude of the citizens. The procession
was venerable, and the manner of it different from that of other nations. It
reached to a place called Sapha, which name, translated into Greek, signifies a
prospect, for you have thence a prospect both of Jerusalemand of the temple.
And when the Phoenicians and the Chaldeans that followed him thought they
should have liberty to plunder the city, and torment the high priest to death,
which the king's displeasure fairly promised them, the very reverse of it
happened; for Alexander, when he saw the multitude at a distance, in white
garments, while the priests stood clothed with fine linen, and the high priest in
purple and scarlet clothing, with his mitre on his head, having the golden plate
whereon the name of God was engraved, he approached by himself, and adored
that name, and first saluted the high priest.
The Jews also did all together, with one voice, salute Alexander, and encompass
him about; whereupon the kings ofSyriaand the rest were surprised at what
Alexander had done, and supposed him disordered in his mind. However,
Parmenio alone went up to him, and asked him how it came to pass that, when
all others adored him, he should adore the high priest of the Jews? To whom he
replied, "I did not adore him, but that God who hath honored him with his high
priesthood; for I saw this very person in a dream, in this very habit, when I was
at Dios inMacedonia, who, when I was considering with myself how I might
obtain the dominion of Asia, exhorted me to make no delay, but boldly to pass
over the sea thither, for that he would conduct my army, and would give me the
dominion over the Persians; whence it is that, having seen no other in that habit,
and now seeing this person in it, and remembering that vision, and the

Josephus, cont

And when he had said this to Parmenio, and had given the high priest
his right hand, the priests ran along by him, and he came into the city.
And when he went up into the temple, he offered sacrifice to God,
according to the high priest's direction, and magnificently treated both
the high priest and the priests. And when the Book of Daniel was
showed himwherein Daniel declared that one of the Greeks should
destroy the empire of the Persians, he supposed that himself was the
person intended. And as he was then glad, he dismissed the multitude
for the present; but the next day he called them to him, and bid them
ask what favors they pleased of him; whereupon the high priest
desired that they might enjoy the laws of their forefathers, and might
pay no tribute on the seventh year. He granted all they desired. And
when they entreared him that he would permit the Jews
inBabylonandMediato enjoy their own laws also, he willingly
promised to do hereafter what they desired. And when he said to the
multitude, that if any of them would enlist themselves in his army, on
this condition, that they should continue under the laws of their
forefathers, and live according to them, he was willing to take them
with him, many were ready to accompany him in his wars.

 " ) (6






'


' '

' '

Bavli Yoma 69a

Come and hear: As to priestly garments, it is forbidden to go out in them in the
province, but in the Sanctuary whether during or outside the time of the service, it is
permitted to wear them, because priestly garments are permitted for private use. This
is conclusive. But in the province [it is] not [permitted]? Surely it was taught: The
twenty-fifth of Tebeth is the day of Mount Gerizim, on which no mourning is permitted.
It is the day on which the Cutheans demanded the House of our God from Alexander
the Macedonian so as to destroy it, and he had given them the permission,
whereupon some people came and informed Simeon the Just. What did the latter do?
He put on his priestly garments, robed himself in priestly garments, some of the
noblemen of Israel went with him carrying fiery torches in their hands, they walked all
the night, some walking on one side and others on the other side, until the dawn rose.
When the dawn rose he [Alexander] said to them: Who are these [the Samaritans]?
They answered: The Jews who rebelled against you. As he reached Antipatris,9 the
sun having shone forth, they met.
When he saw Simeon the Just, he descended from his carriage and bowed down
before him. They said to him: A great king like yourself should bow down before this
Jew? He answered: His image it is which wins for me in all my battles. He said to
them: What have you come for? They said: Is it possible that star-worshippers should
mislead you to destroy the House wherein prayers are said for you and your kingdom
that it be never destroyed! He said to them: Who are these? They said to him: These
are Cutheans who stand before you. He said: They are delivered into your hand. At
once they perforated their heels, tied them to the tails of their horses and dragged
them over thorns and thistles, until they came to Mount Gerizim, which they ploughed
and planted with vetch, even as they had planned to do with the House of God. And

Unifying the Empire

Alexander encouraged intermarriages, setting
an example by marrying a Persian princess
himself. He placed soldiers from all the
provinces in his army. He introduced a
uniform currency system throughout the
empire and promoted trade and commerce.
He encouraged the spread of Greek ideas,
customs, and laws into Asia. When he heard
that some of his provincial officials ruled
unjustly, he replaced them. To receive
recognition as the supreme ruler, he
required the provinces to worship him as a
god.

Arrian of Nicomedia on
Weddings at Susa
Then he also celebrated weddings at Susa, both his own and those of
his Companions. He himself married Barsine, the eldest of Darius'
daughters, and, according to Aristobulus, another girl as well, Parysatis,
the youngest of the daughters of Ochus. He had already married
previously Roxane, the daughter of Oxyartes of Bactria.
He gave Drypetis to Hephaestion, she too a daughter of Darius and a
sister of his own wife; his intention was that the children of Hephaestion
should be cousins to his own children. To Craterus he gave Amastris
daughter of Oxyathres, brother of Darius, and to Perdiccas the daughter
of Atropates, satrap of Media. To Ptolemy the bodyguard and to
Eumenes the royal secretary he gave the daughters of Artabazus,
Artacama to one and Artonis to the other. To Nearchus he gave the
daughter of Barsine and Mentor, and to Seleucus the daughter of
Spitamenes of Bactria. Similarly he gave to the other Companions the
noblest daughters of the Persians and Medes, some eighty in all.
The marriages were celebrated according to Persian custom. Chairs
were placed for the bridegrooms in order, and after the drinks the
brides came in and sat down, each by the side of her groom. They took
them by the hand and kissed them; the king began the ceremony, for
all the weddings took place together. More than any action of Alexander
this seemed to show a popular and comradely spirit. The bridegrooms
after receiving their brides led them away, each to his own home, and
to all Alexander gave a dowry. And as for all the Macedonians who had
already married Asian women, Alexander ordered a list of their names

From Hellenism to the

Hasmoneans

The New York Times

12/11/09 David Brooks
Tonight

Jewish kids will light the

menorah, spin their dreidels and get
their presents, but Hanukkah is the
most adult of holidays. It
commemorates an event in which the
good guys did horrible things, the bad
guys did good things and in which
everybody is flummoxed by insoluble
conflicts that remain with us today.

High Priests
Sadok

Shimon ha-Sadiq

Onias III

Meneleus (171-161)

Jason (Yehoshua) (175-171)

Jonathan the Hasmonean

Hellenistic Period

332BCE Alexander the Great conquers Palestine

323BCE Alexander dies
Diadochi, Ptolemy in Egypt, Seleucus in Syria

301-201BCE Ptolemaic Rule

Allowed to continue as semiautonomous

201BCE Seleucid conquest of Palestine

175-171BCE Jason High Priest
bribes Antiochus IV for high priesthood
builds gymnasium in Jerusalem which becomes a polis
Antioch

171-162BCE Menelaus High Priest

Converts temple into pagan shrine, YHVH=Zeus=Baal
Shamin

168BCE Bet haMikdash is looted, Jews are

massacred
167-166 Antiochus IV decrees persecution

Victor Tcherikover
Hellenistic Civilization and the
Jews

The principles introduced by Joseph the Tobiad into

Judaea are now clear. They were the principles of
the Hellenistic epoch as a whole, dominated by the
striving of the strong personality to make its way
in life. Josephs character manifests those basic
traits so typical of a number of Greeks of the
period: immense willpower, rapidity of action, selfconfidence and, resulting from them, undisguised
contempt for ancestral tradition. Through quiet
unchanging Jerusalem, new winds were suddenly
blowing, as if a window had been suddenly thrown
open to reveal all the wealth and splendor of the
wide world, a world where power and money

Why did Antiochus Persecute

the Jews?
1.

He was crazy, nervous, eccentric.

May have hastened the persecution but not
caused it.

2.

He was a Great Hellenizer and unifier

But only for political ends by making poleis,
not cultural.

The Jewish Hellenizers asked for the

decrees.
4. Decrees result from a civil war.
3.

1 Maccabees ch. 2
23

There came a certain Jew in the sight of

all to sacrifice to the idols upon the altar in
the city of Modin, according to the king's
commandment. 24 And Mathathias saw and
was grieved, and his reins trembled, and his
wrath was kindled according to the
judgment of the law, and running upon him
he slew him upon the altar. 25 Moreover the
man whom king Antiochus had sent, who
compelled them to sacrifice, he slew at the
same time, and pulled down the altar. 26
And showed zeal for the law, as Phinees did
by Zamri the son of Salomi.

I Maccabees 1:11
In

those days there appeared in Israel

men who were breakers of the law,
and
they seduced many people, saying:
"Let us go and make an alliance with
the Gentiles all around us; since we
separated from them, many evils have
come upon us.
Cf.

Jer 44:18

 What

is Hellenism?
Why did Antiochus persecute the Jews?
Why do we celebrate for 8 days?
Why do we celebrate on Kislev 25th?
What can Hanukka mean for us today?

Why is Hanukah on
Kislev 25?

Megilat Taanit
.
, .
, ,
, .
,
.
.

,
.
.

Haggai 2:18

-
, -

;
-
-
,


-
.

Consider, I pray you, from this day and

forward, from the four and twentieth
day of the ninth month, even from the
day that the foundation of Hashems
temple was laid, consider it.

I Maccabees 1

54 Now on the fifteenth day of Chislev, in the one

hundred forty-fifth year, they erected a desolating
sacrilege on the altar of burnt offering. They also
built altars in the surrounding towns of
Judah,55and offered incense at the doors of the
houses and in the streets.56The books of the law
that they found they tore to pieces and burned with
fire.57Anyone found possessing the book of the
covenant, or anyone who adhered to the law, was
condemned to death by decree of the king.58They
kept using violence against Israel, against those
who were found month after month in the
towns.59On the twenty-fifth day of the month they
offered sacrifice on the altar that was on top of the
altar of burnt offering.

Winter Solstice Holiday

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Winter Solstice

Babylonian Talmud, Avodah Zara 8a

Our Rabbis taught: When Adam saw the day

getting gradually shorter, he said, Woe is me,
perhaps because I have sinned, the world
around me is being darkened and returning to
its state of chaos and confusion; this then is
the kind of death to which I have been
sentenced from Heaven! So he began
keeping an eight days fast. But as he
observed the winter solstice and noted the
day getting increasingly longer, he said, This
is the world's course, and he set forth to
keep an eight days festivity. In the following
year he appointed both as festivals. Now, he
fixed them for the sake of Heaven, but the
[heathens] appointed them for the sake of
idolatry.

Why is Hanukah 8
Days?

Josephus is in the Dark

Josephus, Antiquities of the Jews 12:7
Now Judas celebrated the festival of the restoration of
the sacrifices of the temple for eight days, and
omitted no sort of pleasures thereon; but he feasted
them upon very rich and splendid sacrifices; and he
honored God, and delighted them by hymns and
psalms. Nay, they were so very glad at the revival of
their customs, when, after a long time of intermission,
they unexpectedly had regained the freedom of their
worship, that they made it a law for their posterity,
that they should keep a festival, on account of the
restoration of their temple worship, for eight days. And
from that time to this we celebrate this festival, and
call it Lights. I suppose the reason was, because this
liberty beyond our hopes appeared to us; and that
thence was the name given to that festival. Judas also
rebuilt the walls round about the city, and reared
towers of great height against the incursions of
enemies, and set guards therein. He also fortified the
city Bethsura, that it might serve as a citadel against

Lit for Eight Days

? :"
, .
,
,
,
, .
.

What is [the reason of] Hanukkah? For our Rabbis

taught: On the twenty-fifth of Kislev [commence]
the days of Hanukkah, which are eight on which a
lamentation for the dead and fasting are forbidden.
For when the Greeks entered the Temple, they
defiled all the oils therein, and when the
Hasmonean dynasty prevailed against and defeated
them, they made search and found only one cruse
of oil which lay with the seal of the High Priest, but
which contained sufficient for one day's lighting
only; yet a miracle was wrought therein and they lit
[the lamp] therewith for eight days. The following
year these [days] were appointed a Festival with
[the recital of] Hallel and thanksgiving.

Eight Metal Spits

) ( "



) ' "(

,

 II

Maccabees 2:12 - Solomon also

celebrated the feast in the same way
for eight days.

Like Sukkoth
II Maccabees 10
Now Maccabeus and his followers, the Lord leading them on,
recovered the temple and the city;2. they tore down the altars that
had been built in the public square by the foreigners, and also
destroyed the sacred precincts.3. They purified the sanctuary, and
made another altar of sacrifice; then, striking fire out of flint, they
offered sacrifices, after a lapse of two years, and they offered
incense and lighted lamps and set out the bread of the Presence.
4. When they had done this, they fell prostrate and implored the Lord
that they might never again fall into such misfortunes, but that, if
they should ever sin, they might be disciplined by him with
forbearance and not be handed over to blasphemous and barbarous
nations.5. It happened that on the same day on which the sanctuary
had been profaned by the foreigners, the purification of the
sanctuary took place, that is, on the twenty-fifth day of the same
month, which was Chislev.
6. They celebrated it for eight days with rejoicing, in the manner of
the festival of booths, remembering how not long before, during the
festival of booths, they had been wandering in the mountains and
caves like wild animals.7. Therefore, carrying ivy-wreathed wands
and beautiful branches and also fronds of palm, they offered hymns
of thanksgiving to him who had given success to the purifying of his
own holy place.8. They decreed by public edict, ratified by vote, that
the whole nation of the Jews should observe these days every

 "

Our Rabbis taught: The precept of Hanukkah

[demands] one light for a man and his household;
the zealous [kindle] a light for each member [of the
household]; and the extremely zealous, Beth
Shammai maintain: On the first day eight lights are
lit and thereafter they are gradually reduced, but
Beth Hillel say: On the first day one is lit and
thereafter they are progressively increased. Ulla
said: In the West [Palestine] two amoraim, R. Jose b.
Abin and R. Jose b. Zebida, differ therein: one
maintains, The reason of Beth Shammai is that it
shall correspond to the days still to come, and that
of Beth Hillel is that it shall correspond to the days
that are gone; but another maintains: Beth
Shammai's reason is that it shall correspond to the

2 Maccabees 6:7
On

the monthly celebration of the

kings birthday, the Jews were taken,
under bitter constraint, to partake of
the sacrifices; and when a festival of
Dionysus was celebrated, they were
compelled to wear wreaths of ivy and
to walk in the procession in honor
Dionysus.

Teetotum

The original medieval dice used in Germany by

gamblers was inscribed with the four letters: N, G,
H, and S, which are the initials:

Nichts (nothing),
Ganz (all),
Halb (half), and
Stellein (put in).

Encyclopedia Judaica Folklore

Kedushefy
Winter

Solstice becomes religious day

of hope and trust in Hashem.
Celebration of lights becomes symbol
of Hashems providence even in times
of darkness.
Ivy bands for Dionysis become part of
rededication celebration.
European gambling game becomes
symbol of perseverance.

Antiochus IV Epiphanes

From the
Hasmoneans to
Roman Revolt

1. Mattathias
ben Johanan

____

[ ? - 165 BCE]

Hasmonean
Dynasty

_______________

__________|________

4. SimonThassi
[ruled 142-134 BCE]

2. JudahMaccabee

________|______

Mattathias

Judah

|
Johanan
Gaddi

____

[ ?-134 BCE]

[ ?- 134 BCE]

6. Aristobulus I
(Judah)

________

[ruled 104-103 BCE]

________________

[ ? - 160 BCE]

______

|
Eleazar
Avaron

|
3. Jonathan
Apphus

[ruled 160-142
BCE]

Elephant
fell on him

5. JohananHyrcanus

__________|________

________

__________

[ruled 134-104 BCE]

Antigonus
(Matthew)
[ ? - 104 BCE]

7. Alexander Jannai
(Jonathan)

10. Hyrcanus II
(Jonathan)

Alexandra

__________

[ruled 63-40 (d. 30) BCE]

[ ? - 28 BCE]

8. Salome
Alexandr
a

[ruled 103-76 BCE]

9. Aristobulus II
(Judah)

________|

[ruled 67-63 (d. 49) BCE]

|_______
|
=

Alexander
[ ? - 49 BCE]

[ruled 76-67
BCE]

____
|

11. Antigonus
(Matthe)
[ruled 40-37
BCE]

Judah the Maccabee

167-160

BCE
Led the revolt
against the
Seleucids
Purified the Temple
in 164 BCE

Jonathan
Ruler

161-143 BCE
Brother of Judah
first Hasmonean to
be High Priest in
153 BCE

Simon

Ethnarch and High

Priest
142-135 BCE
Is granted tax
exemption from
Demetrius II
Removes Seleucid
garrison in Jerusalem
Gains total political
independence
Murdered by his son-inlaw together with two
older sons

John Hyrcanus
Ethnarch

and High

Priest
Son of Simon
134-104 BCE
Forced the
Idumeans to
convert (including
Antipaters father,
grandfather of
Herod)
Destroys Samaritan
Temple in 128BCE

)of John Hyrcanus (135-104 BCE

Coin


Paleo-Hebrew

Double Perutah coin of John Hyrcanus.

Pair of cornucopiae and a crested helmet.
Reads: Yehochanan the High Priest and
Leader of the Community of the Jews.

Bar Kokhba Coin

Front: the Aron in the middle and star above.

Back: Lulav. in Ketav Ivri (Ancient Hebrew script)

Bar Kokhba Coin

Front:

Trumpets. ""
Back: Lyre. ""] [ ][

Judah Aristobulus I
King

and High Priest

104-103BCE
Son of John
Hyrcanus
First to call himself
king
Imprisons mother
and three brothers.
Kills another
brother.
Married to Salome
Alexandra

of Judah Aristobulus

Coin

Alexander Yannai
King

and High Priest

103-76 BCE
Son of John Hyrcanus
Married Salome
Alexandra, his brothers
widow
Practiced Sadduecean
law and was pelted by
Etrogim. Kills 6,000 Jews
in retaliations.
Killed 50,000 in civil war.
Crucified 800 Pharisees
Advises his wife before
dying to yield to the

Alexander Yannai
"
"

 Sun

wheel,
Anchor, King Alexander in Greek

 Flower

and Anchor
with King Yannai
Restamped with
Yonatan the High
Priest and the
Community of the
Jews
Went back to
original type

Salome Alexandra & Sons

Salome

is queen of Judea 76-67 BCE

Her two sons Hyrcanus II and
Aristobulus II fight over the crown.
Both appeal for help from the
Romans.
Pompey imprisons Aristobulus II and
makes Hyrcanus II high priest in
63BCE.
Hyrcanus serves 63-40BCE
Antignos serves 40-37BCE
Herod marries Mariamne,

an
s

Mattathias

Judah

5. JohananHyrcanus

__________|________

________

[ ?-134 BCE]

[ ?- 134 BCE]

________

6. Aristobulus I
(Judah)

[ruled 104-103 BCE]

[ruled 134-104 BCE]

Antigonus
(Matthew)
[ ? - 104 BCE]

7. Alexander Jannai
(Jonathan)

10. Hyrcanus II
(Jonathan)

Alexandra

[ruled 103-76 BCE]

__________

[ruled 63-40 (d. 30) BCE]

[ruled 76-67 BCE]

9. Aristobulus II
(Judah)

________|

[ruled 67-63 (d. 49) BCE]

|_______
|

[ ? - 28 BCE]

8. Salome
Alexandra

Alexander

[ ? - 49 BCE]

____
|
11. Antigonus
(Matityah
u)

[ruled 40-37 BCE]

__________

Aristobulus III

[ ? - 35 BCE]

Mariamne

[ ? - 29 BCE]

12. Herod
(the Great
)
[ruled 38-4 BCE]

Aristobulus IV

Alexander

________

[ ca 31 - 7 BCE]

_____

[ ca 30 - 7 BCE]

 Coin

of Mattathias
Antigonus (40-37BCE)
with Menorah and
Shulhan

Influences of GrecoRoman Thought on

the
Rabbis

:

.

Ben Zoma, Pirke Avot 4:1

)
"(
) / (/

) "(


) ' '(
:

Quotes from Roman Writers

Who then is sane? He whos no fool. (Horace [568BCE], Satires, II.iii.158)

Who then is free? The Sage who masters himself.
(Horace, Satires II.vii.83)
To be content with ones things are riches. (Cicero,
Paradoxa Stiocorum, 51)
A noble thing is joyful poverty. (Seneca, Epistle II.5)
Honoring the Sage is a great bonus to the honorers.
(Gnomologium Vaticanum, 32)
Only the Sage is sane. Only the Sage is free. Only
the Sage is rich. (Cicero, pro Murena 60-66)

Kohelet Rabbah 5:14

AS HE CAME FORTH OF HIS MOTHER S WOMB
[naked shall he go back as he came, and shall
take nothing for his labor] (5:14). Genibah said: It
is like a fox who found a vineyard which was
fenced in on all sides. There was one hole through
which he wanted to enter, but he was unable to
do so. What did he do? He fasted for three days
until he became lean and frail, and so got through
the hole. Then he ate [of the grapes] and became
fat again, so that when he wished to go out he
could not pass through at all. He again fasted
another three days until he became lean and frail,
returning to his former condition, and went out.
When he was outside, he turned his face and
gazing at the vineyard, said, ' O vineyard, O
vineyard, how good are you and the fruits inside!
All that is inside is beautiful and commendable,

Aesops Fables
A hungry fox spied some bread and meat left
in a hollow tree by some shepherds. He
crawled in and ate it, but his belly swelled
so that he could not get out again. As he
moaned and groaned, another fox passing
by came up and asked what was the matter.
When he heard what had happened, he said
to the first fox: I guess youll just have to
wait until you get back to the size you were
when you went in, and then you wont have
any trouble getting out. The story shows
that time overcomes difficulties.

More Fables
(Baba Kama 60b)
When R. Ammi and R. Assi were sitting before R. Isaac the Smith, one of
them said to him: Will the Master please tell us some legal points?
while the other said: Will the Master please give us some homiletical
instruction?
When he commenced a homiletical discourse he was prevented by the one,
and when he commenced a legal discourse he was prevented by the
other. He therefore said to them: I will tell you a parable:
To what is this like? To a man who has had two wives, one young and one
old. The young one used to pluck out his white hair, whereas the old one
used to pluck out his black hair. He thus finally remained bald on both
sides. He further said to them: I will accordingly tell you something
which will be equally interesting to both of you
(Aesops Fables)
In the old days, when men were allowed to have many wives, a middleaged man had one wife that was old and one that was young; each
loved him very much, and desired to see him like herself.
Now the Man's hair was turning grey, which the young Wife did not like, as
it made him look too old for her husband. So every night she used to
comb his hair and pick out the white ones.
But the elder Wife saw her husband growing grey with great pleasure, for
she did not like to be mistaken for his mother. So every morning she
used to arrange his hair and pick out as many of the black ones as she
could. The consequence was the man soon found himself entirely bald.
Yield to all and you will soon have nothing to yield.

Studying Greek
Rabban Gamaliel was given permission
to teach the students Greek due to the
relationship with the Romans.
(Tosefta Sot 15:8)
R. Gamaliel's son, Rabbi Simeon even
said, "There were a 1000 pupils in my
father's house; 500 studied the Torah
and 500 studied Greek wisdom." (Bavli
Sota 49b)

May a Jew study Greek?

"/



' '


'
'
They asked R. Yehoshua, May one teach his son Greek? He replied, he
may teach it at a time which is neither day nor night for it is written,
You shall study it day and night.
If so, then one may not teach his son a trade since it is written, You
shall study it day and night.
But didnt R. Ishmael say, Choose life this is a trade.
R. Abbabecause of the slanderers.
R Abhu said in the name of R. Yohanan, One may teach his daughter
Greek for it serves her as an ornament.
Shimon bar Abba heard this. He said, because he wanted to teach his
daughters he ascribed it to R. Yohanan. May [a curse] come upon me if
I heard this from R. Yohanan.

Pandoras Jar
Beresheet Rabbah, 179-180
And he said, I heard Your voice, and I was afraid for I am naked and I
hid. And he said, who told you that you are naked? (Gen 3:9-10)
Rabbi Levi said, This should be compared to a woman who comes to
borrow vinegar, who enters into the house of the wife of a colleague.
She [the borrower] asks her [the wife], How does your husband treat
you?
She [wife] said to her [visitor], Everything he does with me is good,
except that there is this jar, which is full of snakes and scorpions,
which he does not let me touch.
She [visitor] said, All of his jewels are in there. And he plans to
marry another woman and give them to her.
What did she [wife] do? She stretched out her hand into the jar. They
began to bite her.
When her husband came, he heard her voice crying out, and said,
Perhaps you touched that jar?
Similarly [God said to Adam]: Did you eat from the tree which I
commanded you? (Gen 3:11)

Josephus on Pompey
No small enormities were committed about the temple
itself, which, in former ages, had been inaccessible,
and seen by none; for Pompey went into it, and not a
few of those that were with him also, and saw all that
which it was unlawful for any other men to see but
only for the high priests.
There were in that temple the golden table, the holy
candlestick, and the pouring vessels, and a great
quantity of spices; and besides these there were
among the treasures two thousand talents of sacred
money: yet did Pompey touch nothing of all this, on
account of his regard to religion; and in this point also
he acted in a manner that was worthy of his virtue.
The next day he gave order to those that had the
charge of the temple to cleanse it, and to bring what
offerings the law required to God; and restored the
high priesthood to Hyrcanus, both because he had
been useful to him in other respects, and because he
hindered the Jews in the country from giving
Aristobulus any assistance in his war against him

Rambam and His Detractors

"

,

.
" "

Adapted from Rabbi Berel

Wein
What

happened to the Hellenists? Their

influence all but collapsed in the wake of the
defeat. They would never return again as
Hellenists, because the war brought out
their true colors as traitors and they lost
whatever appeal they could have had to the
Jewish people.
Most of them retreated to the city of
Caesarea, which remained a Greek city (and
later would become a Roman city). They
were just not part of the Jewish people any
longer.

Elias Bickerman
From Ezra to the Last of the Maccabees
Judaism

was able to enrich itself with

new and foreign ideas and to be saved
from the mummification that overtook
the religion of the Egyptians, for
example, which shut itself off from
Hellenism completely.
The Maccabees preserved the Judaism
of the Greek period from both
dissolution and ossification. It is
through their deeds that the God of
Abraham, Isaac and Jacob could and